Disclaimer; I don't own "Slept So Long." It's a Jay Gordan song. You might know it from Queen of the Damned; fucking love that movie.

Oh, and I added character pictures on my profile. Check them out!


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Snow.

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Chapter Eight.


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Three days earlier.

NG Records.

Tokyo, Japan.


It was an interesting way to begin the song. Reminded him of construction. Not what he would have chosen but the melody weaving through it balanced the off-beat sound.

Not bad.

Piano notes played to compliment the melody.

Quaint. But the rock avec classical sound had already been done.

The song stilled for a moment and started a new beat altogether. A thumping twisted rift with that haunting melody as the key piece.

Shindou's coarse voice filled the office.

"Walking.
Waiting.
Alone without a care.
Hoping.
And hating.
Things that I can't bear."

The lyrics weren't terrible.

Much.

A little mainstream 'emo' for his tastes. And most definitely not Bad Luck. But still, he felt disappointed.

Mainstream was not the sound he was hoping for.

"Did you think it's cool
To walk right up
To take my life
And
fuck it up
Well did you?
Well did you?"

Well, well, there it was.

The anger, the passion, the rage. The selling point for Rampage.

These lyrics appeared to harness for Shindou what Bad Luck never could. That darkness he's always known was inside him. That internal rage that had been subdued with chirpy techno and a thirst for life.

It appeared he was free from that constant optimism.

Marvellous.

"I see hell in your eyes
Taken in by surprise (surprise)
Touching you makes me feel alive
Touching you makes me die inside"

The thundering sounds of the chorus were seductive in a way. It would attract the masses; that was for certain.

This song endeared itself to him the more he listened to it. Or perhaps it was Shindou's magic working itself on his eardrums.

He felt little regret for the dissection of Bad Luck. Their new vocalist was driving them in new directions; they were making their mark on the world of J-rock. It was for the best.

No regrets. It was just business after all.

His intercom buzzed. He hit pause on the remote just as Shuichi's voice hissed out. "I...hate...you!"

"Yes?" He asked politely, leaning back to catch the last of the afternoon rays coming through the large window behind him.

The window was a useful tool; he usually scheduled his meetings from midday so anyone who entered his office was gifted a blinding shot of light straight into their eyes. It amused him to see every single person who entered his office to wince and squint with regret almost immediately after.

"They're here to see you now, Seguchi-sama." His personal assistant; Mikoto; informed him.

"Thank you. Send them in."

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Present day.

Imperial Hotel.

Tokyo, Japan.


The click of the safety's removal seemed to echo through the stunned silent room.

K's words weighed heavily down.

Traitor.

Treacherous.

Treason.

A serious offence.

One calling for capital punishment.

Dolly couldn't help but secretly hope it would come to that. It wouldn't, she knew it wouldn't. It never did.

The gun was for show; that man, K, he was an entertainer. She could see that. From his explosive arrival to his utterly drawn-out extravaganza to expose her. It was absolutely soaked into his being.

She'd seen it before. Her father enjoyed theatrics as well. Only his never ended with applause. There were similarities between the two, that much was certain. Both tall, blonde with an affinity for drama...and guns.

But she'd gone this long without Red Rothford killing her and she didn't particularly expect his doppelganger to do what Red never had. It didn't work like that.

"Admit it." The hard steel muzzle of the gun dug harder into her forehead.

Dolly felt her lips curve into a smirk. The man had no intention of killing her she knew. She wouldn't get his answers from a corpse. But she decided to play nice, for the sake of Shuichi.

Heaven knows no one else was competent enough to protect him. Excluding perhaps that Ryuichi creature. Now he was a commodity she had never experienced. Her eyes slid in his direction. That frightened expression he was wearing slipped as he met her gaze.

He winked once. Dolly gave a twitch of one eyebrow in reply.

He was delightfully new. She decided she would get to know him a little better once she got Red out of the way.

Unfortunately she would need help for that. She wasn't naive (how she fucking hated that word) enough to underestimate Red. He was dangerous. And what's more, he was a danger to Shu.

Therefore intolerable.

She turned her attention to dear Autumn; her flower child was clinging like a needy child to that guitarist friend of Shu's. Hiroshi. The name was smooth and she liked it. It suited him. It also provided Autumn with 'hero' puns galore due to his gallant catching.

It was like watching a romantic scene from a movie. Dolly adored romance movies. Their fairytale happy endings were a refreshing change from reality.

Hiroshi, she decided, would stay. He looked good for Autumn.

Near them, car keys still in hand was Eiri Yuki. He still had obviously not gotten over that little episode of Shu's. She felt pity for him of course but mostly annoyance. If one short-coming was going to turn him off then he most definitely did not deserve the love of her precious Shu.

Her eyes narrowed at him and he returned the gesture.

She decided to see if he had the balls to care for her Shu. If he won he got another chance, if he got it wrong then she would take him out.

She turned her attention back to the man pointing a gun in her face...and yawned.

K's blue orbs narrowed. "Wrong answer." His finger twitched towards the trigger.

Dolly could hear the intake of breath from Autumn and the increased hyperventilation from Danny. Poor Danny-boy was most likely having heart failure. That boy was far too high-strung for his own good.

"Fine." Dolly shot K a cat-like smile. "Get that fucking gun out of my face and we'll talk."

K shrugged and lifted his weapon. "Run and I shoot." He warned.

Dolly winked. "Gotcha." She turned to the audience, after all; daddy wasn't the only one who enjoyed theatre, and cleared her throat. "Redford Rothford; English mob boss, the one who wants Shuichi's head on a pike, is my father."

Gasps of shock all around.

Autumn's Hiro was looking at her with a new view.

Eiri had an unimpressed look on his face as if he'd expected something like this all along. Well of course he had, he was a novelist. Erratic plot twists were his forte.

Ryuichi was sucking his thumb and staring with wide blue eyes.

Shu stared at her with a look of absolute betrayal on his face. "Dolly...how could you do this do us?!" Dolly was not impressed. She stared point-blank at him until he crumbled. "Okay, we knew all along."

Eiri cuffed the back of Shuichi's head. "Idiot." He turned to the other Rampage members. "So this Red guy, he wants to kill the moron here? Why?" He looked for confirmation.

"He hates Shu for marrying his baby girl." Danny tried to explain.

Dolly snorted and rolled her eyes. Embellishments were a useless waste of time in a situation such as this.

"It's because Shuichi here can't keep his dick in his pants." Autumn put in.

Shuichi gaped at her. "Oh sure, let's consider the amount of people you're slept with and I'm the slut?!"

Autumn flushed as Hiro turned to her with a puzzled look. "It's, uh, not that many." She quietly assured him.

"Cut the bullshit and give me a straight answer." Eiri was beginning to get pissed off with everyone pussyfooting around.

"Like Danny said," Shuichi told him. "The guy's my father-in-law and holds a grudge against me for marrying his daughter."

"Why?" Eiri asked sarcastically. "Didn't you ask his permission or something?"

"No," Shuichi said airily. "I asked."

"Then what's the problem?"

Shuichi coughed awkwardly. "...he said no."

"And you did it anyway?" Eiri yelled at him. "Jesus fucking Christ, you are a moron."

Dolly decided that perhaps she would grant him a second chance after all.

He turned to Dolly. "You, you know this guy. You can help us find a way to stop him getting to the dumbass over here."

Eiri appeared to be struggling with asking for help from his rival in love. Dolly liked the sound of that; rival in love. It sounded dashing and idealistic. Like a fairytale romance. A beautiful princess (Shu) torn between two suitors. Dolly would be the white knight; virtuous and kind while Mr. Eiri would be the black knight; dark and alluring. Time would tell who would win the battle. Until then, the fight would rage on.

"What the fuck do you think I've been doing bringing him all the way over here?" She faced off against him with hands on hips.

"Well it appears to have done shit all." Eiri spat back.

Dolly realised then how very much taller her was. An entire foot in fact. That wasn't fair play at all.

"Look guys," Autumn the peace-loving hippy tried to intervene. "Arguing like this in a 'my dicks bigger than yours' thing isn't going to help at all."

Dolly looked at her strangely. "Autumn, I don't have a penis."

"Dolly," Autumn said in a sarcastically annoyed tone. "I was being metaphorical."

"Well how was I supposed to know that?"

"Because we both know you're a girl so why would I–"

K let loose another round of shots into the ceiling.

Autumn jumped and half-hid behind Hiro. "Shit dude. That guy is a fucking psycho."

"OI! I SAID TO STOP FUCKING DOING THAT!" Aubrey shrieked at the Bad Luck manager.

K shrugged. "It get's their attention." He raised his voice to address the rest of the room. "Everybody needs to sit down and shut up until I get all the facts." He waited exactly 3.2 seconds before firing another shot.

That got everyone moving. Autumn yanked Hiro down onto one of the love seats. Shuichi managed to get between Dolly and Eiri on the couch and Danny occupied one of the arm chairs. Ryuichi sat on the floor and played with Kumagoro, apparently unaffected by anything going on around him. Aubrey refused to take a seat and stood beside K instead, sending silencing glares every time it looked like someone was going to speak up.

"Now," K started when it was completely silent. "From what I can understand from all of that bickering, Shuichi is in trouble."

Shu opened his mouth to protest but both Dolly and Eiri dug an elbow into his side to shut him up. Shu closed his mouth and sat there pouting and holding his abdomen.

"Because of Miss Roth-Rampage here," He corrected when Dolly sneered at him. "Miss Rampage's father is a...English mob boss?" K chuckled quietly to himself at the idea. "And Ryuichi told this guy Rothford where Shu is staying while he's in Japan. That's the gist of it?"

"More or less," Dolly said.

"But, of course, we haven't gotten to the reason why Rothford senior is after Shu." K clarified.

"Ask Shu." Dolly, Autumn and Danny said simultaneously.

"Shuichi?" K pounced. "Anything to say?"

Shuichi looked at Eiri out of the corner of his eyes. "No."

"Nothing?" K prodded.

"Nope." Shuichi shook his head.

"Not even a hint why?"

"N-"

"Shu banged the guy's heir's wife." Autumn blurted. She clasped her hands over her mouth with mortification. "Ha-ha, whoops. Word vomit. Sorry Shu."

"Traitor." Shu muttered looking uncomfortable. He fidgeted with the hem of Eiri's shirt, feeling the eyes on him like a sledgehammer. "Can I go?" He asked without looking up.

"Why, so you can go snort a few lines to make yourself feel better?" Eiri muttered out of the corner of his mouth, snatching his shirt hem back.

"Hey," Shu's head snapped up. "I'm sober now. As fucking painful as it is. Isn't that what you want?"

Dolly noticed his hands clench as they began to tremble. "Shu baby, why don't you go lie down for a while?"

Shu nodded stiffly and allowed her to pull him up from the couch.

K stepped in front of them. "Shu stays until I'm satisfied." He ordered.

Dolly sent a pleading look at Aubrey who took over immediately. "Look, you annoying fucking gun-crazed American git," She stabbed a manicured finger into his chest. "I ain't gonna have you sacrifice the health of my musicians just you can get your answers." She told him. "Shuichi ain't the only one who knows what's going on. You got two perfectly helpful people right here in Autumn and Danny and Dolly will be along as soon as she gets Shu settled."

Of course by the time she'd finished her little rant Dolly had already ushered Shu into the master bedroom and shut the door.

Bless Aubrey Kane and her ability to ramble. Dolly adored her manager; she was like a second mother. Dolly's first one being dead, of course.

Shuichi burst in hushed weeping as soon as they were out of view. "Oh sweetie." Dolly pulled him close against her and wrapped him tight in her arms.

"He hates me." Shu whispered.

"No," Dolly murmured into his dyed hair. She didn't particularly like the harsh black colour; it kind of washed him out. But of course it was necessary for his disguise. "If he hated you he wouldn't be in that room. He wouldn't be figuring a way out of this for you."

"But he's angry?" Shu asked; his little hands were clasping the material of her dress like a small child.

"Yes." Dolly answered. She didn't see any point in lying to him. About this at least. "But anger's not forever Shu." She guided him over to the bed and sat him down. "It's one of the most passionate emotions. But it is a temporary one."

She went into the bathroom half-hidden off to the side of the large bed that took up the majority of the room. Inside the large marble and gold room she retrieved a soft white flannel and dampened it in warm water. She returned to the bedroom and began to clean off the black circles surrounding Shu's dull purple eyes.

"I can do it." Shuichi muttered, snatching the flannel off her and rubbing it against his eyes hard.

"Suit yourself." Dolly told him and went back to the bathroom in search of one of the beautifully crafted crystal glasses meant for rinsing mouths after teeth-brushing. She looked through the hastily packed toiletries bag; it wasn't hard to find what she was looking for as most of the bags contents were already scattered in various places around the bathroom leaving stains of make-up and hardening white globs of toothpaste on formerly pristine surfaces. She filled the glass with cold water and took it to Shu along with a white pill.

"Valium." She answered his silent question. Shu swallowed the pill and smiled at her tiredly. "Go to sleep my love, we'll have this figured out in the morning." Dolly stroked his hair.

Shu obligingly got back under the covers and allowed Dolly to fuss over tucking him in. Once she got it sorted to her standards she bent down and kissed him softly on the lips. "Sweet dreams darling one."

Shu gave her a drowsy smile and closed his eyes. "I love you, Dolly." He breathed.

"I love you too." Dolly kissed his forehead before turning out the light and leaving the room quietly.

As soon as she stepped out of the master bedroom the full force of raised voices hit her. Dolly winced and grumbled to herself as she returned to the lounge. "Stupid fucking..."

Aubrey and K were apparently locked in a heated screaming match with him waving his gun around far too often. Perhaps he was compensating for something, Dolly mused.

Hiroshi's nose had begun to bleed again and Autumn was being frantic trying everything under the sun to try and stop it. She was obviously doing nothing in the slightest for him but he was too kind or enamoured with her cleavage to speak out.

Danny had taken over her and Shu's seats on the sofa and was speaking energetically to Eiri who was giving monotonous answers at various periods.

Ryuichi was once again in his own little world.

They were fucking procrastinators, each and every one of them. Dolly decided to take charge.

"Hey." Her voice was immediately drowned out by the noise in the room.

Dolly thanked the guy upstairs that the master bedroom was soundproof. Though with that V in him Shu was most likely out like a light.

"OI!" She bellowed. The sound cut off abruptly as though someone had hit a mute switch. "Much better." She surveyed all of them. "Now you two," she gestured at the duel-managers. "Need to sit down. Preferably in separate places; I don't want to waste any more time with your pointless bickering."

K looked like he was going to object but Dolly sent him a steely gaze and he shrugged and sat down in Danny's former place. Aubrey sat in another armchair and glared over at the gun-toting American. Autumn was frantically waving her arm trying to get Dolly's attention.

"What?" Dolly looked annoyed at the interruption that happened before she'd even begun.

"I need to take Hiro to the emergency room." Autumn blurted out. "His nose won't stop bleeding and I'm kind of afraid for the possibility of blood-loss now."

"Okay, fine, whatever." Dolly interposed with annoyance.

"Take my car." Eiri tossed her the keys.

Hiro looked like he was going to choke in shock. Apparently there was some sort deeper meaning to that. Dolly decided to look into it later.

"But I swear Autumn, you break it–"

"And you'll break me. Gotcha!" Autumn winked before dragging Hiro out of the room.

"And you're in charge of explaining it to him!" Dolly called after her.

"Okay!" Autumn yelled in reply before the door slammed behind her.

"Right, let's begin,"

"Where's Shuichi?" Eiri asked.

Dolly's eye twitched at the interruption. "Dead to the world in bed; he wasn't feeling well." She explained as calmly as she could. "Now the next person who interrupts will be castrated. That goes for you too, Aubrey." She added before her manager could speak up. "Red Rothford is dangerous, a wanted killer whose reign of terror stretches over thirty years. He is also my father and so I know him better than anyone else in this room. I know how he thinks and I know how he works. I'm the best chance Shuichi has at survival."

K looked like he wanted to say something.

"Yes?" Dolly gestured for him to go ahead.

"Get me three grenades and an M4 and I'll take care of the guy." He smirked.

Dolly sighed in irritation. "Like that's worked before. He's clever, wary and absolutely brilliant. It's how he's managed to stay on top for three decades."

K just looked excited at the prospect of a challenge.

"You still haven't explained what Shuichi's done to piss this guy off." Eiri prodded. He was getting fucked off at the lack of action.

"I'm getting to that." Dolly insisted. "Obviously my father and I aren't on the best of terms." She ignored Danny's snort of "You can say that again." and sent him an annoyed glare. "We've had our...differences which have resulted in erm, 'explosive' arguments a few times."

"Get to the point." Eiri interrupted.

"Castration." Dolly warned. "Well as I am a girl and this cannot possibly take over his empire, as if I bloody wanted to, he appointed my cousin Alexander Rothford as his heir. And the only thing that jumped up nancy twat achieved was getting some dumb bint to marry him. With whom Shu had...intercourse."

There was a confused silence in the room as Eiri and K, the others already knowing and Ryu still preoccupied, attempted to bypass the family rant and get to the point.

Dolly huffed in frustration. "Shu shagged my cousin's wife alright?"

There was a collective 'ohhh'.

"You're not angry about it?" Eiri asked.

"Of course I am! It's going to get him flipping killed!" Dolly screamed at him. Someone please remind her what was the point was in even including these idiots in the plan for Shu's safety?

"But you're not mad about Shu fucking someone else?" Eiri looked suspicious.

"For God's sake, what does that have to do with anything?!"

"They have an 'open marriage'" Danny explained quietly to Eiri.

"DHANESH SARIN!" Dolly shrieked. "SHUT YOUR GOB!!"

Danny mimed zipping his mouth shut, locking it and throwing away the key. Eiri however looked interested at the new information and vaguely pleased.

Dolly saw the look on his face. "Don't you go getting any ideas." She warned. "Now, back to the matter at hand."

"Sparkle sparkle."

"Pardon?" she blinked in bewilderment.

"Hey Dolly-chan?" Ryuichi knelt at her feet and looked up like a begging puppy.

Dolly melted internally. He was soooo cute!

"Yes?" She replied.

"This is too much for you to handle." Fun!Ryuichi went on temporary vacation and the serious version took the reins. Ryuichi produced a cell phone. "You need to call Tohma. Now."

"Ryu love," Dolly gently pushed away the cell phone. "He already knows."

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Three days earlier.

NG Records.

Tokyo, Japan.


My, my, this was an interesting development.

He was disappointed in Shuichi; he thought the boy had more sense than to get involved with those kinds of people.

But, he surveyed the three people in front of him over steepled fingers; he had a feeling that they were holding something back. Something of relative importance. Never mind, he would figure it out eventually. If not, there were people he could hire to figure things out.

Right now he looked at the three; Dolly Rampage, Autumn Rose and Danny Starr, and smiled.

"Very well," he assured them. "As long as he is in Japan, Shindou Shuichi is under my protection."

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Meh, let's end it there. I've kind of gotten tired of the scene in The Imperial Hotel's penthouse. But the characters are being so damn stubborn! All they seem to want to do is argue all the time so I had to use Dolly to get them in order. Bloody hell! Well I'm finally on my Easter holidays here at Uni and will be travelling back home for two weeks. Mostly likely I'll be able to work on some more Snow then. So look forward to that!

Stubborn and ardent clinging to one's opinion is the best proof of stupidity...

Love Queen Cocaine

xoxo